The Caribbean island of Haiti continues in chaos. Increasingly powerful gangs have attacked prisons, police stations, and the capital’s airport. The violence forced businesses and schools to close as hundreds fled. At the center of the protests is Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry.
Heavy gunfire echoes daily in Port-au-Prince, the capital. Armed gangs have grown more powerful than Haiti’s weak government.
The attacks ramped up on Thursday. That’s the day Henry flew to Kenya for meetings. He hopes to convince a UN-backed police force to help fight the gangs.
Frantz Elbé is director of the National Police. He said late last week that the attacks left many of his officers unable to respond.
“The city center was at war,” he declares.
Gunmen overwhelmed the main prison in Port-au-Prince and another nearby prison on Saturday. They freed more than 4,700 inmates in a raid that left several people dead.
Here’s what to know about the latest crisis:
Why is there a sudden surge in violence in Haiti?
Some of Haiti’s most powerful gang leaders say their goal is bringing down Prime Minister Henry.
The country has failed to hold elections in recent years, and there are no elected officials. Henry was sworn in as prime minister with the backing of the international community after the July 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse. The latest round of attacks began in February after Henry pledged to hold long-awaited general elections by mid-2025.
Henry’s exact whereabouts are unknown. When asked several days ago in Kenya if it was safe for him to return to Haiti, Henry simply shrugged.
Who is responsible for the latest attacks?
Former elite police officer Jimmy Chérizier is one of Haiti’s most powerful gang leaders. He announced that he would try to capture the country’s police chief and government ministers. Chérizier urges Haitians to mobilize against the government.
Other gang leaders also appear to be involved in recent attacks.
Why have gangs in Haiti grown so powerful?
An estimated 200 gangs exist in Haiti. The 23 most powerful operate in Port-au-Prince. Until recent years, gangs controlled about 60% of the capital. Now they control 80%, according to UN officials.
Ransom payments for kidnappings and smuggled firearms—including sniper rifles and machine guns—allowed gangs to become more financially independent. Their control increased as the state weakened.
Haiti’s underfunded and under-resourced police department is unable to contain them.
What is the government doing to quell the violence in Haiti?
Finance Minister Patrick Boivert serves as acting prime minister. He declared a state of emergency late Sunday. He says officials imposed an evening curfew to “take appropriate measures in order to regain control of the situation.”
The three-day curfew began Monday and runs from 6 o’clock p.m. to 5 o’clock a.m. It’s an effort to help curb the violence. Most residents already stay indoors at night for safety.
Boivert says, “Police were ordered to use all legal means at their disposal to enforce the curfew and apprehend all offenders.”
Pray for the nation of Haiti. Ask God to give Haitian Christians the ability to show His love in a dark situation.
Because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. — Matthew 24:12
